Airborne: A Quidditch Tale
by MMastafii
Summary: A young squib is rejected from Hogwarts, but drafted by one of Britain's long-standing Quidditch teams. The Chudley Cannons! A questionable decision by its manager. Are the fans in for another season of disappointment? (An original take on the fantasy/sports genre.) *Cover art adapted from Etsy and depicts Sora from the story.
1. Family

Chapter 1: The Moor Family

Any day now thought Tomi. The eleven-year-old boy stared outside his living room window in anticipation for his Hogwarts letter. The long winding road of Fletchley was desolate as ever. And the coastal village of Rusworth could be seen from Tomi's house. Sitting sleepily with no interest in seeking excitement or commotion. Tomi sighed. It was already August and he had not received a letter. He wasn't worried however; Tomi's three older brothers were already in Hogwarts and he was next in line.

They were cutting it a bit tight though.

Tomi continued to gaze sleepily outside. The scorching sun rays had cast a hazy glow over the village, and the gentle crashing of the waves against the cliffs made him relax and doze off. Still, in a groggy half-awake state, Tomi felt a push on his chair and woke up abruptly on the floor.

"It's not coming you know, you're a squib!" It was Tomi's older brother, Riley.

"No, I'm not!" replied Tomi desperately as he got up from the floor.

"Why is your letter not here yet then?" Riley sneered "I got mine in June." Tomi internalised Riley's words. A wave of uncertainty came over Tomi and manifested itself as worry. Riley caught on immediately and started laughing. "Gonna cry?" he sniggered. Tomi felt a hot rush of anger and embarrassment. He pushed Riley aside and ran out of the living room. He didn't want to give him the satisfaction of his emotions.

Tomi fled to the garden and sat atop the steps of the porch which overlooked the sea. He felt calmer here. His house was built atop a large cliff, safely away from the village but close enough for convenience. There wasn't much infrastructure around, but the unpredictable sea and the idyllic view made it a blissful place to live. A tear crept down his face. He wiped it immediately. Weakness was a trait you couldn't afford to show with three brothers. He felt a tap on his shoulder. Tomi clenched his fist ready for confrontation.

"Easy bro, it's only me," said Ryo, the oldest of the family. He smiled at his little brother. "I heard what happened from my room, don't worry about it too much." Tomi ignored Ryo and continued to gaze idly at the sea. Ryo sat down next to his brother. He was much larger than Tomi and had a tall broad figure. He was starting his seventh year at Hogwarts and was essentially a grown man more than ready for the next stage of his life.

"You know our family history, right?" Said Ryo gently. "Dad comes from a long line of Irish wizards from Dublin. And Mum went to Mahoutokoro with generations of witches and wizards in her blood; the likes of which have seen magic, you can't even imagine." Tomi's interest in the conversation sparked and he listened intently. "Pure-blooded offspring almost always have magic inside them, and it can manifest in different ways. It's just a matter of being patient. The same goes for this Hogwarts letter." Tomi smiled, Ryo was smart and always chose his words wisely. "Fancy a game of Quidditch?" said Ryo enthusiastically "beats sitting around."

"Let's do it" replied Tomi. He liked the idea of taking his mind of the Hogwarts letter and had enjoyed watching his brothers play Quidditch, but hardly got involved himself despite his deep interest.

"One v one," said Ryo. He walked over to the broom cupboard which was on the porch and took out two brooms. "Were playing with the land hoops," said Ryo, as he pointed at the two singular hoops propped up on the grassy cliff-tops and spaced out as wide as their house. Tomi nodded. He glanced further out at the forbidden sea hoops. There were three on each side connected with an iron pole which was magicked deep below the cliff and extended out far into the open area above the sea. Much like a trio of odd-looking horizontal Quidditch hoops.

The sea hoops made for unique games, but they were too advanced and dangerous. Even Ryo hardly used them. They were only used by Riley and Sora; the Quidditch prodigies of the Moor family. Ryo was a fair flyer, but he never deeply engrossed in Quidditch and instead preferred to pour his time into books. Sora and Riley surpassed Ryo's ability ten-fold. "Here you have my broom and I'll use the old rust bucket" Ryo handed his Firebolt to Tomi and took the shooting star for himself. Tomi admired the broom in his hand. Although fairly old he knew the broom still held its own in terms of speed and was kept in pristine condition by Ryo.

"Let's go," Ryo said, as he kicked off from the ground and into the air.

Tomi threw his broom in front of him, it hovered at the perfect height for him to mount. Tomi managed to kick off the ground, albeit a bit awkwardly. He was in a low hover, parallel with Ryo, but the Firebolt would not remain still and shook violently in his presence. Tomi gripped hard with both his hands and feet to keep it steady. Tomi remembered why he didn't play much Quidditch. He couldn't fly well! Ryo held a football and circled Tomi making sure he was okay. "As long as you can change direction safely, we'll be good," said Ryo. Tomi nodded.

"First to three, wins. Let's go!" Ryo threw the ball to Tomi to let him start. It was no Quaffle, but those became expensive very quick in their coastal home. The brothers usually lost them to the sea or destroyed them in a testosterone-filled rage (Riley being the most common offender.) Tomi leant forward and dashed straight on towards Ryo's single hoop. He lied. He had no control of direction and instead the violent shaking of the broom, dictated his flying.

Ryo aware of Tomi's chaotic trajectory, flew slightly ahead at a sluggish speed and snatched the ball when Tomi zoomed past. It was like taking a parcel from the mailman. Tomi suddenly aware of his dispossession, pulled his broom to a halt. But not before Ryo scored an easy point from an undefended hoop. "Unlucky little bro," Said Ryo, flashing his teeth as he smiled. Tomi grinned, the brothers readjusted their position in the pitch and Tomi started with the ball again. He approached Ryo much more slowly and carefully this time, but Ryo zoomed passed intelligently, taking the ball off Tomi with ease.

The Firebolt jerked violently. The speed at which Ryo passed combined with Tomi's poor control of the broom pushed him off balance as he went flying towards the cliffside. Tomi struggled to hold on. The broom increased its autonomy, now behaving like a stubborn horse that refused to be tamed. With a swift movement, the broom turned upside down with Tomi aboard. He was now dangling from the broom one hand clutched on the base for dear life.

He was dangerously close to the cliff's edge and could see the jagged rocks which scattered the cliffside beckoning for a mortal fall. The firebolt now considerably lighter bolted towards the sea. Tomi's hand slipped and with it the last efforts for survival. He hurtled through the air like a ragdoll as he plummeted towards the sea. Wind stabbed his face as his consciousness faded. A sharp pain. Then nothing.


	2. Demon

Chapter 2: The Speed Demon

As Tomi regained consciousness, he felt the sensation of the sweet earth below him as he lay down. The sun kissed his skin and evaporated the few water droplets on his face and legs. He wasn't wet... Tomi dumbstruck and still shaken from the fall, only realised what happened when he sat up and looked at Ryo. His brother was panting deeply on all fours, the shooting star snapped in half by his side.

Tomi pieced the events together; Ryo had evidently caught Tomi before he hit the water and the sharp pain he experienced was from the speed of contact with his brothers' arms. Tomi felt a surge of great affection for Ryo. He had always respected him, but his brother had risked his own life to save him. "You okay..." gasped Ryo as he looked up.

"I'm fine...you caught me Ryo, I don't know what would have happened if you didn't," replied Tomi. "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, just a bit out of breath. You've put on a bit of weight you know" chuckled Ryo. He pulled down his long sleeve t-shirt over his arms before approaching Tomi. However, the deep crimson marks all over his arms were not hard to miss.

"Please get your arms checked Ryo," Tomi said sincerely.

"Don't worry about me" replied Ryo. "I'll get mum to check it out and don't worry, I won't say anything, I'll say the gulls attacked me" Ryo and Tomi laughed in their mortal ordeal. The eccentric birds were a humorous staple of their home town. "In the meantime, you better avoid riding a broom though, little bro" Ryo said diligently "Get a bit more practice, maybe grow a bit and you will be good to go." Tomi agreed. Although he found it very odd how the broom reacted to his presence. It felt as though the broom was either very resistant or overly excited with having him aboard.

A few weeks passed by since the near-miss. Tomi woke up in his room, ready for another day of disappointment. He had still not received his Hogwarts acceptance letter. "Boys! Get ready and come downstairs, we're going shopping!" It was Tomi's Mum. The shout echoed throughout the house. Tomi knew once his mum was set on something it was in the best intentions to follow it through.

Both his parents were quite prideful. Coming from Ireland and Japan respectively the concoction of two strong cultures produced some very interesting family dynamics. Tomi's parents were inherently kind however, with Tomi's Mum having a gentle touch as all mothers do. Tomi got out of bed and began to get changed.

Sora entered Tomi's room, without knocking of course.

"Have you seen my sweater anywhere?" asked Sora. He was a slim teen with an athletic body and a handsome face which sported a clean military-style haircut. He was a picturesque teen attending his fifth year at Hogwarts and a strong favourite to be signed by the Wimborne Wasps, a team in the British Quidditch League.

"Its 40 degrees celsius outside" replied Tomi.

"You know I don't go anywhere without it," said Sora, "The Wasps manager himself told me to wear it. Helps with team exposure"

"He is going to take you no matter what, you know that," said Tomi sleepily "You would have been at the academy earlier if mum didn't stop you."

"You're right there bro, I'll remember you when I'm at the top," Said Sora, grinning.

"Not if a practice bludger takes out your kneecaps" Joked Tomi. They both laughed and headed downstairs for breakfast together.

After eating the family set off in a rush. It was almost September, and no one had their Hogwarts robes or books. They approached their fireplace and all said the words "Diagon Alley" in unison.

The family of seven walked along the familiar crooked path. It was bustling with people as usual and the family struggled to stay together. It also didn't help that everyone was eager to do their own thing. Dad noticed this.

"Okay, Boys here are your allowances," he said, whilst handing Ryo, Sora and Riley their money "There's plenty enough to cover your robes and the items on your list." They pocketed the money and thanked him before each of them headed in their own direction.

Tomi caught his dad's gaze and flushed slightly red-as much as his cream complexion would allow.

"I have sent an owl to Minerva," said Dad "I'm sure it was just a slight error or miscalculation that we haven't received your letter yet. As Headmistress I'm sure she will iron out the problem quickly" Tomi nodded respectfully. He knew there was little chance of receiving the letter now. It had devasted him for the past weeks knowing he might not experience what his brothers have, and how he may remain an outcast to his own wizard kind forever. It was positively his worse summer yet.

Although Dad was oblivious to this distress and was distracted with an odd-looking band of hags. Mum noticed instantly, and decided to cheer him up. "Here's some money, get some ice-cream with little Ava and then buy whatever you want". Ava, Tomi's toddler sister hugged his leg tight.

"Ice-creaaam!" she squealed. "Let's go, Tomi!"

Tomi smiled. His little sister was always a source of joy for him and looking after her kept his mind off his dire situation. He held her hand and set off for Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour leaving their parents behind to dabble.

As Tomi and Ava passed the shops. They noticed that Diagon Alley looked different from last year. The location was developing and changing at an unprecedented rate. Tomi knew the muggle world was doing the same and wasn't sure if the two were related. Nonetheless, the demise of Voldemort, 14 years ago in 1998 certainly helped boaster peace and growth in the wizarding world. The duo passed an assortment of shops, some looking as though they popped out of nowhere, bolstering vibrant colours and attractions. Theo's Kicks and Tricks was new this year, but was an addition to an already oversaturated market, and caused much disappointment to Weasleys Wizard Wheezes and Gambol and Japes.

Tomi passed Quality Quidditch Supplies, and like a yearly ritual, the shop once again caught his eyes. The wizarding world boom meant that new Broomstick companies were propping up every year. Each company fought fiercely for the single display position outside the store. Tomi noticed that the Nimbus 2007 which held the position for several years, was finally dethroned. A new sleek, all silver broom shimmered in the display.

Tomi was dazzled by the broom. Its metallic silver coating caught the reflection of the sun and blinded anyone passing by. It truly looked like a work of contemporary art. Tomi read the label on the display case.

_Mercury 1 -_

_a new broom by the Orbit Company. Pioneers of the broomstick industry. Introducing innovation in a market which has lacked it for decades. The racing-travel broom hybrid boasts speeds 7% faster than current top racing brooms and is also credited as the first boom to surpass the atmospheric barrier* Claim this top broom for yourself. Price on demand._

_*Protective spells required. Time spent at high elevations may vary._

Tomi was in awe. The allure of the Mercury 1 seemed to drag him into the shop. It was packed as usual and Tomi heard Ava complain about the noise. He picked his sister up and browsed the store. All sorts of brooms were in display, from vintage classics like the Cleansweeper to golden oldies such as the Nimbus 2000.

Professional level brooms like the Nimbus 2007 and the Supido KYO were also in display but rarely bought by people other than professional teams. The Supido KYO (The Speed Demon) was from a fairly new company. Hailing from Japan they had good relations with their home international team. All of which sport the Speed Demon as their broom of choice. As Tomi rummaged around for the money his Mum gave him, he realised he didn't have enough for any decent modern brooms.

Tomi could buy a Nimbus 2000 a good entry-level broom but would have no money to get his sister an ice cream, and refused to do that to her. As Tomi prepared to leave the store, a worker stuck a new label on the Nimbus 2000. It was a sale! Tomi enthusiastically grabbed the broom. He couldn't believe his chances. He walked to the counter to purchase it but paused and realised that buying a new broom didn't make him a better flyer. Tomi pondered as the cashier handled his change. Did he just make a mistake? He refused to believe that, practice can make anyone a decent flyer and thus he left the shop with his new (old) broom and was satisfied with the purchase.

After getting Ava an ice-cream which she licked happily, the pair headed towards Gringotts where they were supposed to meet the rest of the family. Ryo and Sora were already there.

"Ryo, Sora! Look what I got!" screamed Ava as she brandished her ice-cream at her brothers. They smiled happily and Ryo lifted her up into his arms. Riley later joined them. He glanced at Tomi's Nimbus 2000 in its packaging and let out a chortle.

"What you gonna do with that Tomi, sweep the floor?" Said Riley. Sora let out a weird cough-laugh hybrid and quickly covered his mouth.

Tomi went red and felt belittled by his brother once again. His skill was nowhere near Riley's level on a broom, but he still enjoyed the culture. Could Riley not leave him in peace. Ryo scowled at Riley, who glared back opening his mouth as if to retort; but thought better and left Tomi alone. The oldest still had authority in the family.

As the brothers and their sister waited for their parents; Tomi noticed they were all wearing their school robes. Likely due to them all trying the robes at Madam Malkin's and deciding it was much easier to leave them on then get changed back. Tomi noticed Riley, in the emerald green and black robes which was embedded with the logo of a silver snake. The symbol of Slytherin House. He looked menacing with the green, which made his shadowy face more prominent. Sora was also wearing the same robes but looked more dashing than Riley. Sora did not seem menacing and instead stared blankly with his handsome face. Deep in thought.

Ryo stood beside them, his kind face smiling at Ava who was resting happily in his arms. He was in Black and Navy-blue robes which were embedded with a bronze Raven. Ryo was in Ravenclaw House; much to the astonishment of their Dad, who would have preferred Slytherin but happy for his son, nonetheless.

As their parents approached their children, Dad caught sight of his three sons dressed in their school robes. He beamed at them proudly "Ahh my Son's, you're all looking great! I mean Ryo you would look slightly better in green but oh well" joked Dad.

"You say this every year dad" sighed Ryo. "I thought you would drop it seeing as it's my last year at Hogwarts"

"Never" Dad laughed. Well seems like everyone is here. So, we can probably head off.

Dad noticed Tomi's broom."Oh my, a Nimbus 2000! A fine purchase laddy came out in my final year at Hogwarts, a damn shame I couldn't use it on the pitch though!" The Moor family headed back to their home on Fletchley road. They were all extremely tired from the days' shop and were ready to call it a night.

Tomi's dad turned the lights off downstairs and was heading to bed. Everyone was already asleep and Dad was eager to join them. As he climbed the stairs, he heard a soft hoot coming from the front garden. He decided to investigate and peeped out the front window. A large Barn owl was visible, its bright amber eyes glaring directly at him. It let out another hoot and Dad established it as a Hogwarts Owl. He went outside and collected the letter. The summers night was peaceful and there was a breeze which gently caressed all it contacted. Dad opened the letter. Tomi's letter must have finally arrived!

He scanned the paper excited - his face gradually dropping as he delved into its contents. When he finished; he was left expressionless and gazed blankly at the night sky.

He finally let out a quiet whisper in disbelief. "Tomi's a Squib."


	3. Awakening

Chapter 3: The Awakening

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us" Mum said earnestly. It was September 1st and the Moor family were about to head to London to catch the Hogwarts express.

"Definitely not" Tomi replied defiantly. "I'll stay and watch the house. Protect it from the Muggles and Squibs." Tomi turned away from his mum and continued to idly read his book. It was 'Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind'. If he was to become a Muggle, he might as well start now. Only Tomi had not turned a page for the last hour. He had instead been inconspicuously observing his family. The frantic hustle to get to platform 9 3/4 had taken over the household. His dad was busy arguing at the fireplace with a distinct pointy head visible within the emerald green flames. Tomi assumed this was his co-worker.

"I'm sorry Mr. Moor, I can't miss this wedding. I'm sure the people can handle one day without rock cakes." The man said. Tomi's dad ran a small café in Diagon Alley. Although the shop was mildly successful when it started, his parents were struggling to make ends meet these days.

"You should have given me some notice then" his dad replied frustrated. "Find someone to cover your shift. You know how business is. We can't afford to miss a day!" Tomi's dad walked away from the fireplace. He sat down on his armchair and buried his face into his palms. Tomi sympathised with his dad. He had five children to look after. Most of which, were still in school and couldn't help with the family business. Tomi's mum did help; but caring for her children was her main priority and Tomi deeply respected that.

Tomi's mum, Rena Nakamura had in fact been shortlisted for the Japanese National Quidditch team at the age of 22. She was an astounding flyer who showed much promise at the time. Unfortunately, she also became pregnant with Ryo the same year. She had never regretted choosing her family over Quidditch. However, Tomi wondered what could have been. His brothers packed early that day. Hogwarts had always been a source of excitement for them. The wondrous castle and its grounds, their friends, Quidditch -- It was their whole life. Tomi felt his stomach churn. He was incredibly envious of his brothers and dreaded his life as a Squib. His parents had already signed him up to Rusworth Secondary School. It was a small Muggle school located at the heart of the village. Tomi was apprehensive about his enrolment. He knew it would be difficult to fit in; but at this point he didn't have a choice.

"Me and your mum will be back later this evening" said Tomi's dad as the family prepared to leave. "Keep the doors locked and don't leave the house." Tomi nodded. It was a miserable sight. The family should have left for London together. Ryo approached Tomi and gave him a loving hug.

"Don't worry about it too much Tomi" said Ryo delicately "I've heard of late bloomers only getting their magic until they were much older. Just remember to be patient. It will all come together in the end." Tomi hugged Ryo back. He was going to miss him.

Sora approached Tomi next. He looked thoughtfully into Tomi's eyes. It was always difficult to read what Sora was thinking but Tomi knew it was like a complex labyrinth within his mind; all the cogs working hard to keep the teenage prodigy going. He beckoned Tomi to give him a hug.

"See you soon, yeah bro." said Sora. Tomi hugged him tight. He was also gonna miss him. Riley went up to Tomi last. Tomi watched him, anticipating some snide remark, so Riley could get the last word in before he left for Hogwarts.

"Don't worry about it too much, ay" said Riley, sticking his hand out. Tomi was in disbelief, there was no comment about his Squib status. Riley had reminded Tomi habitually since the reveal of the Hogwarts rejection letter a week ago. However, it seemed that he didn't have the heart to say anything today. Tomi was perplexed. This didn't make up for all the teasing and abuse before. But he shook Riley's hand nonetheless.

Tomi's mum gave him a kiss, held Ava's hand and closed the front door behind her. Tomi heard Riley mention his Hogsmead letter outside. Thirds years could travel to the all magical village and Riley typically, left the letter to be signed in the last minute. Tomi heard the Toyota engine start and take off a moment later. Tomi's dad could drive; he saw it as a hugely beneficial skill in a world full of outward muggles and incognito wizards. A broom wasn't always the answer. As Tomi heard the car drive off into the distance. He stood in the hallway for a moment. The house was eerily quiet, and he could feel his emotions' building, amplified by the immense silence around him. He started crying. It was the first time in a long while.

Tomi walked up to his small but cosy room and sat on his single bed. Tears were still flowing down his face and he wondered if he would ever get used to the feeling of being an outsider. He desperately needed something to cheer himself up. He stared up at his Nimbus 2000 on his desk. It was unpackaged but untouched since the day he bought it. He outstretched his hand reaching for the broom. It shook aggressively on the desk, getting worse the closer his hand got. Tomi thought better and pulled away. The shaking stopped immediately. Even the brooms didn't want him.

The first day of Tomi's school, went exactly has he had anticipated. Although he met some people, he struggled immensely to relate to Muggle teenagers and the seemingly complex life they lived.

"Do you have Instagram?" a girl asked him on the bus journey to school.

"Do I have what?!" Tomi replied puzzled. He assumed it was whatever was displayed on the girl's smartphone which she held out for Tomi; who remained clueless. Although he knew the basics of the Muggle world and recognised the rapidly developing computers and smartphones. His parents had never really invested into the modern technology; so his knowledge remained limited.

"Don't tell me, you don't have a phone" the girl said shocked. Tomi shook his head indifferently. He gazed around the school bus, which was packed full of teenagers of different age groups. Some were engrossed in conversation, while others were fixed vicariously on their smartphone screens. Tomi knew it was going to be a long day.

Tomi arrived home later that afternoon. He was welcomed by his mum, who hugged him tight. "How was your day then" she said sweetly. Tomi was in no mood for conversation. His first day at school had made him realise an unbearable fact. His place was not be amongst the Wizards or Muggles but in the middle, forever in a lonely limbo state. Most of Tomi's peers had avoided him on the first day. They thought his overall aura and general lack of interest in their activities was odd. He pushed his mum aside and ran into his room. Tomi was dangerously reaching an all time low. He sat on his bed and clenched his fists. He wasn't going let this get to him. Only he could define whether his life was to be full of pleasure or sadness. He stared at his Nimbus 2000. Flying or even hovering would greatly help his miserable state. He grabbed his broom determinedly and gripped it hard in an attempt to subdue the shaking.

Tomi stood outside at the back of his house. His broom was shaking incessantly but he mounted it anyway. It was a questionable lift-off and Tomi found himself in the air with little control of the broom which was in danger of throwing him off. Tomi flew slowly around the cliff tops, playing it safe, staying low and within solid ground. He gazed at the sea which surrounded him. It glistened gloriously in its deep blue shade, surrounded by the clear blue sky and the early September sun. Tomi creeped closer to the cliff edge. He had always flown safe and was always afraid to go too fast or high. Tomi decided this was to end today. Even if his broom didn't agree, he wanted to experience the true feeling of flying, no matter the cost.

Tomi dove off the cliff-edge his broom still between his legs. He flew directly down at the water at an incredible speed. The Nimbus 2000 still fresh from the shop display, unleashed its maximum potential. Tomi held the broom tight which remained stubborn as ever. He felt his heart beating out his chest as he descended rapidly towards sea. As the broom was about to contact the immense layer of blue liquid, Tomi pulled up hard on the broom handle . It shot straight across the water like a bullet, skimming the surface as it rocketed by. Tomi felt an immediate change. The broom stopped shaking, now only rocking from the speed at which it was travelling. The broom also responded to his fine directional changes. Tomi was astounded by this new slick feeling on the broom. For once he enjoyed the feeling of the wind against his face and the positive adrenaline which encompassed him. He travelled away from the village of Rusworth and far across the infinite sea. He felt his problems melt away. His affinity with the sky, wind and the air made him feel as though he was born again. He released a smile. Tomi's innate flying ability had been awaken, he failed to understand why or how but he felt truly happy for the first time in awhile.


	4. Squib

Chapter 4: A Squib's Winter

Tomi laid in his bed that night, still as a rock. He was completely dumfounded from the recent events. The scenes kept replaying in his head like a film reel as he stared absent-mindedly at his bedroom wall. The rush, the speed, combined with the surreal sensations of the elements was akin to nothing he had experienced before.

That night, Tomi didn't get a single second of sleep. It was 7am when Mrs Moor knocked on his bedroom door. "Time to get up Tomi" she said gently. Tomi got up immediately as if he had a full night's sleep. He was ripe with energy and changed rapidly before heading down for breakfast. He munched on his cheerio's and had a distinct positive glow. "You seem cheerful today" said Mrs Moor, who noticed Tomi's change in demeanour.

"I think I'm just ready to give this new school a chance" Tomi replied. "I didn't approach it in the right way. It can be that bad."

"Well that lovely to hear" Mrs Moor said handing Tomi a glass of orange juice. "The first day of school is always difficult, muggle or wizard. I'm sure it will be much better today – Do you want a lift to school or are you going take the bus?"

"I think I'll walk" Tomi said grinning. "It's a nice day out and I could do with the fresh air". Tomi grabbed his things and said goodbye to his Mum. He left his house and began the moderately long but doable walk to school. It was another bright and cloudless day, and Tomi was keen to enjoy it, before the grey skies set for their permanent stay of residence in England.

The walk was relatively uninteresting, and Tomi was thinking about yesterday afternoon. Flying felt so good. He was eager to get back to it. Tomi suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder, which nudged him back to reality.

"Hello!" said the girl. Tomi realised this was the same girl, who he sat next to on the school bus on his first day. "You remember me, don't you?"

"Uhh, yeah of course, Laura wasn't it?" Tomi replied slightly unsure of his answer.

"It's Catherine" She laughed. You can call me Cat though."

"Sorry Cat, my bad" Tomi said earnestly. "How come you're walking to school today?"

"Why are you?"

"I felt like it"

"Same, reason as you then" she replied. "I'm glad I spotted you actually, I feel like we got off on the wrong foot. You're just so different to everyone else and I want to know why." She stared determinedly into his eyes, waiting for his reaction. Tomi noticed and was slightly off put.

"I just don't get out much" Tomi said, quickly breaking her gaze. "I mostly stay in my house cause of my strict parents." He lied.

"So, you're grounded all the time basically" she said amused. "Must be a bad boy."

"Yeah sort of" Tomi said feebly.

As they walked to school, Tomi started to warm up to Cat's presence, who was much friendlier than he thought, albeit a bit scary and unrestricted. On arrival and looking at each other's timetables both Cat and Tomi actually shared the same science class.

Their first lesson was exceptionally uninteresting. Coming from a magical background, science was foreign to Tomi. Although some concepts made sense and made Tomi wonder what it would be like if science and magic worked together, he knew there was a very long time until that happened. Tomi talked to Cat, as the science teacher droned on in the background.

"How come I've never seen you at Rusworth Primary?" Cat enquired.

"Uhh" Tomi stumbled, Cat was dangerously curious and as a squib he had to be very careful with his choice of words. Cat stared at him suspiciously.

"Well?" She repeated, gazing intensely in his direction.

"I was home schooled" Tomi replied monotonously

"Ahh makes sense" Cat said, and she went back to doodling in her science book. Tomi gave a quiet sigh of relief. This was going to be tiring.

Later that day, the bell rang for the end of Tomi's final lesson - for which he was immensely grateful. Muggle schools were very tiring and there was no grand feast or cosy common room to look forward to at the end of it. However, Tomi enjoyed his school slightly more and he put this down to making more friends and changing his outlook on his situation. Although he may never be a wizard, he was thankful for at least having a small connection to it.

As soon as Tomi got home, he got changed and put on some sporty, wind resistant clothing on. He wanted to have another crack at flying and was eager to get started. Tomi grabbed his broom, skipped dinner and headed outside to fly. Tomi chucked the broom in front of him and was pleased when it hovered invitingly in front of him. Tomi kicked off the ground and flew high above his house; the broom was cooperating, and Tomi attempted some advanced flying maneuverers. He failed a few times and nearly fell off his broom on one attempt. Which would have led to a steep and painful fall to the roof of his house.

Tomi successfully carried out the Wronksi defensive feint in one session. But it didn't feel right. He respected the seeker position but always preferred watching the rest of the team who were more involved and physical. The chasers who were at the thick of it, intercepting, tackling and scoring; always interested Tomi more than any other position.

Tomi continued to fly intensely and only called it a day when the orange sun started to set, and twilight loomed over Rusworth village. Tomi went inside drenched in sweat and flushing from the long hours spent outside. He passed his Mum on the way to his much-needed shower.

"Oh my god, what have you been doing" she said her hand clasping her mouth.

"I've just been testing out my new broom" Tomi replied, trying to avoid details of his session.

"You know it's dangerous flying around the house, if anyone saw —"

"Mum, I know I usually fly away from the house and being high up in the air means I can spot any muggle in the distance and fly out of their view" Tomi replied, he was tired and wanted to end this conversation. "Can I go shower please?" His mum nodded and Tomi walked away but his Mum stared at him suspiciously until he was out of her view.

Tomi continued going to school and his afternoon flying sessions, well into the cold, grey December months. Tomi managed to stay just above water in most of his lessons. He was particularly good at maths and basketball due to his proficiency with numbers and good hand-eye coordination. His flying ability was increasing at an unprecedented rate. Tomi now attempted to improve other aspects related to Quidditch, such as moving with the Quaffle and scoring. Tomi still avoided the sea hoops, as one wrong move would mean falling to certain death but was eager to return to it when he was a better flyer. Tomi realised that although he was improving, none of it mattered, unless he could get some feedback and go against some real people. Anyone could be a decent flyer, but it was the ability under pressure and the mental calculations required against other people, that separated the best from the average.

The Moor household became particularly busy later in the month. Ryo, Sora and Riley and returned from Hogwarts for the Christmas holidays. Ted Lupin had also joined them, after Riley had gotten into a nasty duel with him during a potions class. Tomi's parents thought it would be a good idea for them to make up during the holidays. Tomi's maternal cousin, Kazumi had also come to visit for the Christmas holidays. He flew to England all the way from Japan on his broomstick. The Moor family did not have a fireplace where he could have travelled by floo powder and Kazumi had not passed his apparition test either. Regardless Kazumi was very modest and insisted he made the journey himself despite Mr Moor suggesting that he could pick him up from Japan. Kazumi made the journey in around 40 hours with regular stops in various countries along the way. He quite enjoyed his travels as he rarely left Japan and always wanted to explore beyond his home. It was his first time In England and when he arrived in Rusworth, he was astounded by its rustic beauty and village charm. It was a breath of fresh air compared to the vibrant neon cities of Japan.

"How is the family Kazumi" asked Mrs Moor as she served the house their evening dinner. It was a cold winter night, and everyone was glad to be inside in the warmth and were excited to fill their bellies with Mrs Moor's home cooking.

"They are very good Obasan" Kazumi replied extremely politely with a heavy accent.

Mrs Moor smiled, she headed back to the Kitchen to get the remaining dishes. Kazumi got out of his seat and followed her.

"Please let me help Obasan" Kazumi insisted; he grabbed a large amount dishes and glasses and piled them on top of each other, before proceeding to pick them up and take them to the table. It was a wonder he even made it to the dining room. But Kazumi was too determined to make a good impression for anything to go wrong.

"Thank you, Kazumi, that was very kind of you" said Mrs Moor, as she sat down with the rest of the household. "Ok everyone, please eat" she said beaming.

The boys pounced on the food like a pack of starving hyenas. They were positively glowing and were enjoying their meal, whilst discussing the year so far at Hogwarts.

"I can't believe Hufflepuff are leading in Quidditch" Riley said, as he took a big slurp of his udon noodles. "It's quite unexpected Ted."

"Well you need to stop underestimating them" Ted said proudly. "They have a lot of potential and I think they could even dethrone Slytherin this year."

Sora spat out his food. He paused for a moment using a napkin to wipe his face and then glanced at Ted slightly bemused, before going back to his food without saying a word. He had released his competitive nature unexpectedly.

Tomi continued to listen to the conversation intently, as they boys described the games of the season so far. Slytherin had narrowly beaten Gryffindor in the first game of the season with score of 170-160. Slytherin were severely outclassed outfield with the chasers scoring only 20 points. They had managed to the clutch the win as Sora the team's captain and seeker was able to catch the snitch. Hufflepuff on the overhand positively destroyed Ravenclaw with a score of 250-30.

"To be honest Riley" said Sora coolly, finally deciding to add to the conversation. "If you don't step up your game as a chaser, I will have no problem removing you off the team."

"You wouldn't dare" said Riley, slamming his fist into the dinner table.

"Now, now there is a time and place for this talk" Said Ryo, who was forced to join the conservation and put his book down. "You guys need to settle this elsewhere, preferably outside."

"Okay, let's have a Quidditch match tomorrow" said Riley, finally calming down. "Me, Ted and Kazumi against You, Ryo and Tomi. I'll show you that I'm worthy of my position and that I could even become captain if I wanted!"

Sora continued eating his food unphased. He finished chewing his mouthful and swallowed before finally deciding to reply. "Ok let's do it. If you can beat me tomorrow, I'll even step down as captain."

Tomi looked at Sora bewildered. He knew that Sora was a man of his word and would give up his captaincy unflinchingly if it came down to it. Riley stared at Sora with flashing eyes. This was his opportunity and he was going to take it.


	5. Grudge

Chapter 5: The Family Grudge Match

Menacing black clouds covered the sky on the morning of the Quidditch match and with-it arrived accompanying rain. This made conditions for Quidditch less than ideal, but the boys were adamant to see this game through. The Quidditch field was muddy and covered in a thick layer of sludge. This was not a problem however, as the boys decided to use the sea hoops instead. These dangerous hoops extended from the clifftop horizontally all the way to the open sea with three hoops extending from each side of the cliff. Thus, well above the water, they looked like a trio of Quidditch hoops which had been toppled over to its side. If a keeper were to defend these hoops, they would have to move up and down to cover them instead of side to side. The danger arises from the rough winds, the jagged cliffside and the open water which could lead to serious injury if the flyer is not careful.

"Sorry we are late!" said Ryo earnestly, as he and Kazumi joined the others outside; who were already dressed and had their broomsticks in their hand. "Was finishing breakfast, did you guys even eat?"

The boys, flat haired and drenched in water frowned at Ryo. Tomi smiled and thought it was pretty funny. He knew that Ryo had no interest in this Quidditch game and would take any opportunity to display how stupid this endeavour was.

"Very sorry" said Kazumi apologetically rapidly nodding his head. Ryo held him behind; so he wouldn't get wet with the other losers. Regardless Kazumi felt ashamed that he was dry whilst his cousins were drenched. He immediately went out to the open field and comically cusped some rainwater in his hands and covered his face in it.

Tomi looked around the field, everyone was present. He felt a bit nervous as he had never played Quidditch properly with his brothers, and this time Ted and Kazumi, were present. He knew that Ted didn't play Quidditch properly but followed it enough to be decent at the game. Whilst Kazumi played Quidditch religiously for Mahoutokoro. Quidditch practice in Japan was also more rigorous and Tomi knew he would have to keep an eye out for his cousin during the game. The issue of the sea hoops also loomed over him. Tomi was a better flyer compared to the start of the year, but he still did not know whether he could manage a full Quidditch match using the hoops. Nevertheless, it was too late to back down now.

Riley eager to get started approached Sora and looked him directly in the eye. Sora was a few inches taller and probed at Riley with an intense demeanour. "Say goodbye to that captaincy Sora—" Riley sneered.

"First to 100 points wins" interrupted Sora. Who had no interest in this build up. And preferred to do his talking on the brooms. He turned away from Riley and immediately walked to the cliffside. "Come on Ryo. Tomi. Don't hold me back."

The weather showed signs of easing up as the boys gathered in their teams of three. Cracks in the skyline revealed thin sunrays which beamed down on the village of Rusworth. Tomi let out a sigh of relief as he mounted his Nimbus 2000. Better flying conditions should hide the rough edges in his flying experience.

As the teams stood on each side of the cliff overlooking these sea hoops. They took a few moments to organise their teams and talk strategy.

"Tomi you start as keeper..." Sora paused and scanned Tomi inquisitively. "If I'm honest I am surprised you even agreed to play today."

"I agree" added Ryo. "We all have seen you on a broom. And I would hate for anything to happen particularly as you are playing in new territory as well"

"I've been through this with you last night" replied Tomi slightly frustrated. "I really want to play today, I have been practicing my flying, I won't hold you back!"

Sora and Ryo glared at Tomi. They were not convinced. "Okay Tomi, if anything happens, you can't go crying to Mum" said Sora. "Ryo you're with me, just try and link up play with me. Pass when you are cornered but don't be afraid to take the shot either… This should be fun." Sora clutched his broomstick as he glanced at the open turf beyond the cliffs edge. He let out a thin smile. Quidditch was in his blood and the sky was his home.

Both teams left the ground and flew for their respective hoops. Tomi positioned himself directly in front of the enormous metal hoops and looked down at the sea. Its looming danger made it look twisted and dark. Tomi slapped himself. He had to focus on the game.

Riley's team prepared in the distance. They looked sinister. Not because of their personalities but due to their immense presence on the Quidditch pitch. In the keeper position was Ted. He looked extremely relaxed as he leaned on the Quidditch hoops, with his feet on the metal and his empty broom floating freakishly ahead of him, waiting for the game to begin. Outfield, the aura changed to a state of complete zen. Kazumi displayed extreme skill by deploying an upright crane leg stance. With one foot on the broom and the other elevated in complete synchrony with his body. In the air, it seemed the humble young man positively transformed into a dragon. Further up, Riley was leading the charge. Quaffle in hand he scanned his opponents with an insatiable hunger. Like a true prodigy he was detecting exploits and weakness in the opponents. It didn't take long for Riley's eyes to settle on Tomi. He grinned menacingly. Then started laughing. Without taking his eyes off his prey, he threw the Quaffle to Kazumi to signal the start of the game and dashed with incredible speed towards Tomi. He had a cruel plan.


	6. Feint

Chapter 6: Feint

A clash of brooms ensued over the once peaceful English waters. Whilst a friendly game to some; it was a warzone to others. Riley definitely preferred the latter. A single vision guiding his goal. Winning by any means necessary. He knew Tomi was the oppositions biggest weakness and he was going to exploit it. With this image, he charged at his youngest brother with no remorse.

Tomi struggled to concentrate, a blur of figures zoomed across his vision like a swarm of irritated flies. He couldn't identify Ryo or Sora in the action. His general lack of experience in Quidditch games was evident. Straining his eyes, he focused on each player. That's Ryo! He made out a broad lump flying questionably in the distance. Where is Sora though? Tomi strained his eyes harder, to find him. A lock of long brown curly hair entered his vision. He had no time to react. It came from the right at an incredible speed and delivered an almighty blow. Tomi staggered as he was chucked aside like a tennis ball. It was Riley, and the hoops were undefended. Kazumi followed close behind, quaffle in hand, he threw it precisely into the middle hoop. 10-0.

Ryo and Sora watched in disbelief. They were chasing Kazumi but did not see that move coming from Riley. They flew towards Tomi, who was massaging his shoulder in pain.

"You need to pay attention Tomi, you can't let that happen to you," said Sora.

"How is that even allowed though," said Ryo, in his brother's defence.

"No one said this game was going to be fair," said Sora, slightly vexed. "Plus, it was a shoulder barge, it's not illegal in Quidditch."

"Look, guys that was my fault, I didn't see him coming, "Interrupted Tomi, who didn't want to cause a domestic. "I'm still new to this, but I'll try to be more alert."

"Look, Tomi, if you can't handle it, it's okay to stop now. Quidditch isn't for everyo—"

"No!" Tomi shouted, he could see Riley in the distance grinning madly. "No... I can do this, give me another chance."

Ryo and Sora nodded, both were tempted to force Tomi off the pitch out of love. But they commended his resolve. They also could not risk playing one man down; which would certainly mean a win for Riley. Team Sora took their positions back on the pitch.

"Finally decided to keep playing, then?" said Riley, who was visibly enjoying the antics he had caused. He chucked the Quaffle hard at Sora in an attempt to shake him. Sora caught it confidently with one hand. He was a professional and it would take much more to defeat his tenacity.

The game was underway again. Riley and Kazumi darted towards Sora. They wanted to corner him. Sora noticed and weaved to the right, passing under Kazumi and performing a barrel roll before emerging on the top of both players. It was a glorious move and the players were left in the dust. Sora capitalised on this chance and continued towards the hoops not looking back. Ted Lupin was the last man. Sora threw the Quaffle towards the uppermost hoop, but not before Ted could get a hand on it. It was a save. The score remained 10-0.

Throughout the game, the difference in skill was visible. Ryo occasionally fumbled the Quaffle and Tomi was constantly harassed by Riley, preventing him from joining the game. Sora was also traditionally a seeker and despite having some flair in the chaser position, he struggled to carry the game on his own. The score increased rapidly in favour of Team Riley. 50-0, 60-0, 70-0. The game was almost over. Most of the goals came from Kazumi, who exploited (to his shame) Riley's tactic of following and harassing Tomi. The game reached a desperate stage for Team Sora and the captaincy was on the verge of changing hands.

Tomi was devasted, he was letting his team down. However, it was difficult to do anything with Riley on his back. His brother followed him everywhere, blocking his line of sight and barging him out of the way when they wanted to score. Tomi tried escaping, sometimes leaving the hoops behind completely. But Riley was fast and could easily keep up. He could predict where Tomi was going and would sometimes arrive before even Tomi knew himself. The score was 80-0. Only 20 points remained.

Tomi knew he would have to do something big. All his training can't have been for nothing. He remembered back to the manoeuvres he practised. There must be something he could use. Then it dawned on him, Tomi had an idea. He had absolutely no confidence if it could work, but he had to try it. Tomi glared at Riley, his hazel eyes met Riley's blue for the first time in the game.

"What's wrong squib? You're not going anywhere."

"Guess you can't play fair Riley," said Tomi. He looked for an opening to escape, but Riley stuck to him like glue.

"Seems like you can't play at all. I guess you are a worthless little squib, might as well drop—" There it was. An opening. Tomi kicked his Nimbus 2000 forwards, barging Riley out of the way. His brother unphased followed him intensely, continuing his harsh remarks. Tomi weaved side to side, attempting to make Riley's pursuit more difficult. But it had no effect and Tomi noticed Riley still directly behind him, their distance only separated by a hairpin.

Tomi decided it was time to execute his idea. He looked down at the sea and dove. It was a long drop, and Tomi was utilising as much speed from the Nimbus as possible. The wind clawed his face, as he built up momentum. The water was edging closer. Tomi focused deeply on his first time flying the Nimbus and his cold afternoon practice sessions. Suddenly the tip of his broom grazed the open sea, as several water droplets jumped out. Now! He pulled hard on his broom handle and shot back up. He performed a Wronksi feint and with incredible precision as well. Tomi directed his broom back to the playing area, he was visibly shaking with fear and adrenaline.

Something was different on the Quidditch pitch, however. Everyone had stopped playing, they were frozen in disbelief, their mouths wide open. Some were looking at Tomi, whilst others were fixed upon the sea below. Riley was in the water, completely drenched and struggling to stay afloat as the waves hammered him from every direction.

Ted rushed from his position to Riley's aid. The game was not over yet for the others though. "Great work Tomi!" Said Sora, who had only just returned to the real world. "Let's keep going, he'll be okay and we can still win this!"

Team Sora agreed in unison. Tomi left his position as keeper and aided his brothers in the attack. They passed the Quaffle between each other as they closed in on the hoops. Kazumi the last man standing, tried valiantly to regain possession, although it became futile. The brothers brushed him off easily and scored goal after goal. Soon enough it was 100-80. Team Sora cheered loudly, as they flew around the pitch in celebration. Riley could be seen on the cliff, he punched the ground, visibly distraught at the loss.

"That was something else," said Ryo, impressed at his little brother.  
"I agree, I was ready to give up my captaincy! Thanks for stopping that from happening Tomi" said Sora, kindly smiling at his brother.

The boys returned to the cliffside, Riley had already left. He had seen enough and did not want to be bothered. Kazumi and Ted however, joined Team Sora's celebrations. They were only playing for fun and congratulated them on their win. As the group walked happily back to their house, Ryo seemed deep in thought, he had a burning question and approached Tomi away from the others.

"Tomi, I hope you don't mind me asking this" Ryo said delicately. "But as a squib, you shouldn't be able to perform any type of magic, let alone fly like that on a broom. I find it really fascinating! I was wondering, do you know how you are able to do that?"

"I don't really know for sure" Tomi replied. "One day my broom reacted differently to me, I was able to fly as anyone else would, It was an amazing feeling. After that, I just practised as I didn't want to lose my only connection to the magical world."

Ryo was impressed. The scholar in him viewed Tomi as an incredible case into the dynamics of the wizarding world. Maybe squibs were capable of much more than first anticipated. "That's amazing Tomi, I have to look into this further... You know, what keep an eye on your owls after Christmas. I may have something for you."

"What do you mean?" Tomi asked inquisitively.

"Well, I may know someone who plays for the Chudley Cannons," said Ryo gleefully. "Now it is a long shot, but I'm willing to write to them; ask if they can give you a chance in their upcoming youth trials. What do you think of that bro!"


	7. Cannon

The Christmas holidays passed by in a rapid blur before soon enough, the Moor household was considerably smaller. The boys had brought a bit of Hogwarts magic down with them when they visited, but sure enough, this was taken away too quickly to be indulged. Normality ensued once again in the family.

A thread of hope, however, loomed as Tomi held on to his magical ability with a broom, as tight as a mother might hold her new-born. He actually became so afraid of losing his flying ability, that he would ride on his broom twice a day, once in the morning and once after school, just to make sure he could still fly. Of course, this was nothing more than a senseless premonition. Magical abilities did not just come and go as they pleased. There was altogether another reason for the odd ascension of Tomi's skills.

It was on March 22nd an early spring morning that Tomi would receive the owl that would undoubtedly change his life. The letter was delivered by a raggy beast, which looked as though it had clocked a fair few miles in its lifetime. In fact, when Tomi encountered the odd-looking owl, he thought he was turning delirious. It was only once the contents were revealed that Tomi firmly established, he had lost his mind.

_Dear Toyotomi_

_I am pleased to invite you to the youth trials for the Chudley Cannons Quidditch team. This is a selective one-time event, which gathers young talented Quidditch players from across the globe to compete for a place at the Chudley Cannons Quidditch Academy. It is here you will be provided professional standard training and facilities. And eventually, If we deem your abilities as exceptional, we may offer you a professional contract on your 16__th__ birthday. I implore you to try your best to achieve this. _

_Of course, due to the enormous interest in playing professional Quidditch, it warrants that we only invite people who have been selected by our scouts. Personal entries are permitted, but this incurs an entry fee of 100 gallons, with the participant requiring to be vouched for by a professional body on their Quidditch ability. I am pleased to write, however; in your case, the fee has been paid by a 'Mr Moor', and your ability vouched for by 'Chudley Cannons, Miss Haydon.' _

_If you are interested in attending, please reply with your answer via our owl. A representative will then meet you on July 1__st__, to escort you to the trials. We look forward to hearing from you._

_Kind Regards _

_Ragmar Dorkins_

_Chudley Cannons Manager _

Sure enough, Tomi nearly fainted at first sight of the letter. To play for a professional Quidditch team was an outlandish prospect he never considered. He read the letter a few times, then again, then once more. He stopped only when the parchment ink started to fade, and he risked losing its contents forever. A few questions emerged from the letter though; a 'Mr Moor' had spent 100 gallons for his trial. Tomi was sure this was Ryo, but that amount of money was a small fortune. Ryo must have really believed in him. 'Miss Haydon' also vouched for his ability; he had no idea who this was but thought it likely to be Ryo's connection to the Chudley Cannons. It is odd he hasn't mentioned her before though.

Tomi revealed the news to his parents, on a warm afternoon as they lounged in the living room. They reacted surprisingly well.

"Tomi, you think we haven't noticed your evening flying sessions. We even watched some of them. You're a damn good flyer in my eyes" said Mr Moor, beaming at his son.

"We decided to not interfere dear. We know you are upset you didn't get into Hogwarts, so it was nice to see you enjoy something" said Mrs Moor.

Tomi smiled weakly; the praise felt underserved. "I'm not sure I should go." He said in a moment of perceived clarity. "It's just I'm a squib...And the trial costs a lot of money. Not to mention, there will be kids who have been flying for years; practising for that specific chance...In fact, I don't think I'll go. They will tear me apart, and I got homework and school and—"

Mr Moor got up and flourished a fatherly smile. He took off his glasses, brushed back his long ash blonde hair and placed a hand on Tomi's shoulder, Mrs Moor beside him. "I think I know my own son well enough. Other people might not believe in you, but that's okay. This is your opportunity...your chance to prove to Hogwarts they were wrong, to prove to the whole magical world they misjudged you. In fact, I see something in you Tomi; you may not be as outspoken or as brash as your brothers, but it is that exact humility that lends you a special quality. I also sense It doesn't stop there. You have potential, and I feel there is something nestled deep within. This is a perfect opportunity to test your limits and find out what you're really capable of. I say go for it, my boy."

Tomi hugged them both tight. Their support was the final pillar, which steadied his commitment to the trials. He was also indebted to Ryo and decided he would pay him back one day, starting with passing the trials.

With a clear goal, Tomi looked towards July 1st. Tripling his training efforts and studying Quidditch night and day. He eventually started to breathe the sport and tried to mould his every move around It. Only when Mrs Brown caught him doodling broomsticks during a History lesson, did Tomi decide to tone down his enthusiasm a little bit.

The morning of July 1st arrived in quick fashion. The sun shone brightly on this rare occasion, and gulls could be heard circling fishing boats, searching for an easy breakfast. Tomi lay on the porch, staring blankly at the fearless blue sky. What a beautiful day for flying. But that was never the issue. Uncertainty still clouded over Tomi. He was never a confident guy, and frankly struggled when it came to performing in the simplest of tasks. Let alone a professional Quidditch trial. Regardless he felt an unusual air of responsibility to see the trial through, no matter the result.

Tomi's ears twitched as a faint knock resonated throughout the house and onto the back porch. Mr and Mrs Moor had just left to pick up everyone from Kings Cross station, it surely couldn't be them. No, it was definitely not them. It could only be the trials. They were about to begin. Tomi cautiously opened the front door; revealing a slim tall man in his thirties. The stranger was wearing a grey three-piece suit and held a tan brown leather briefcase in his right hand. He let out a supercilious smile as he spotted Tomi.

"Ahh, you must be young master Tomi. Pleased to meet you," he said, procuring an orange and black business card as if out of thin air.

"Erghh hello—" Tomi glanced at the business card. "Mr Laurent… You're with the Chudley cannons, right?"

"That's what it says there," smiled Laurent, apparently ignoring Tomi's daftness. "I'm here to take you to the trials. Now there's no rush, just gather your things, get your broomstick and meet me outside."

Tomi nodded, there definitely was a rush. He quickly gathered his belongings from his room and grabbed his Nimbus. He could spot Laurent outside his window, tapping his loathers and glancing at his watch impatiently. This man certainly seemed odd.

Laurent glanced at Tomi as he left his house. He gave a stifled sigh, tucked his hands into his suit trousers and proceed to walk down the hill towards the village.

"Walk with me, Tomi," he said. Tomi obliged and suddenly increased his walking pace, as he tried to keep up with Laurent's quick strides. "Now tell me, why am I not collecting you from Hogwarts?"

Tomi flushed crimson red. "Erm, I never actually got in."

Laurent paused for a moment. He glanced at Tomi with an air of fascination. "Extraordinary," he replied before continuing to walk again. "But you can fly yes?"

"Yeah, just about," said Tomi with an apparent honesty.

Laurent grinned slightly, before finally deciding he couldn't hold it and let out a sophisticated chuckle. "You know what Tomi, I like you. You're humble, but I also have a feeling that there is a lot more to you than you are letting on. I wish you the best of luck in these trials regardless." Laurent became slightly fonder of Tomi throughout the rest of their journey.

As they continued on, the village entrance slowly came into view and Tomi had to resort to asking where they were going.

"Oh nowhere" Laurent chuckled. "Just thought I would get to know you before we go to the trials. The thing is Tomi we could be working more closely in the future…that's if you get in of course. Now if you are ready, I will apparate us to the Chudley Cannon stadium."

"They have their own stadium now?!"

"Indeed, took a while to get approved by the department of magical games and sports, but the Chudley Cannons have finally joined the recent revolution of owning a home ground, like other teams in the league."

This was exciting news to Tomi. Quidditch teams were not usually allowed to have their own home grounds. But due to a reformation in the law in 2006, if there are enough anti-muggle precautions in place, professional teams could apply for a licence to build a stadium. Usually, only the top teams invested in this, so it was fascinating news that the Chudley Cannons decided to do the same.

"Ready to go Tomi?" asked Laurent. He stuck out an arm, ready for apparition.

Tomi nodded, he grabbed hold of Laurent and they apparated far away from Rusworth village. Tomi felt a large jerk as he pulled away from solid ground, everything went black, as forces pressed him in all directions. Suddenly he landed on all fours and vomited on the spot. His reaction felt odd. He had previously apparated with his parents, so the experience should not have been a shock. As Tomi mustered the strength to get up, he noticed the surface supporting him was made of hard wooden planks, which had a distinct smell of being recently polished. He also noticed a gentle sway as his body rocked in all directions. He cast a quick glance around, stunned from the unique sensory overload. Tomi finally established he must have been under the deck of a renaissance sailing ship.

Laurent tapped Tomi's shoulder making sure he was okay. "Come on now, you got a Quidditch trial to attend."

"Where are these trials exactly!?" Tomi asked, confused at the whole ordeal.

"You will see soon enough" replied Laurent with a satisfied grin, signalling that the surprises didn't end here. He helped Tomi up and led him through the candle-lit corridor of cabins. The area was surprisingly spacious, and Tomi noticed many locked rooms and diverging corridors leading in different directions. Of course, this wouldn't be possible on a Muggle ship, but this specimen already felt far from that. Laurent finally approached a set of wooden ladders and beckoned Tomi to climb ahead.

"After you," he said, still sporting the same grin he had when they landed.

"Er thanks," he climbed up and found himself at the open stern of the ship. His jaw dropped; he only just appreciated the massive size of the vessel, its size shadowing that of a Muggle cruise ship. Tomi's eyes darted around as they attempted to feast on the visual spectacle. The ship had a large slightly oval-shaped main deck, scattered with genuine war-time cannons on each side and large groups of people which he only assumed must be crew members and other trialists. Tomi immediately noticed the lack of masts and instead observed a massive trio of sails floating in the air embroidered with the signature orange and black Chudley Cannon. The sails flapped naturally from the currents of the wind and seemingly acted as any other sail would. Three smaller frigates accompanied the behemoth vessel. Two were placed on each side of the ship, while the other could be seen sailing forwards. Smaller crews could be observed on these ships, all alert and ready for their day ahead.

The helmsman glanced back at Tomi and shot him a friendly smile, before leaving the wheel and approaching him. "Hello young man, you're here for the trials I assume?" He said in a jolly manner. Tomi nodded. "Well, my name is Ragmar Dorkins, a pleasure to meet you—"

"Tomi" he answered, staring at the man in disbelief. He was in the presence of the Chudley Cannons manager, Ragmar. He looked like a stout old man, who had a slightly plump figure with a large belly. But this didn't detract from the charming and friendly demeanour the man seemed to exhibit. Ragmar wore a hybrid of traditional wizarding robes and old-fashioned sailing gear topped with a tricorne on his head.

"It's a pleasure to meet you! If you place your stuff here and go down the steps to the main deck with your broom, we will start soon. We are just waiting on a few others. I will explain the trial from up here" said Ragmar with the same cheery tone. If this man got any happier, he would surely burst.

Tomi gripped his Nimbus and proceeded down the steps, leaving Laurent and Ragmar at the helm. He felt his stomach churn as he scouted the competition. Most trialists sported their school Quidditch robes, while some wore the robes of their local teams. A large number of students from Hogwarts were present as trialists, but some also fared from international schools. The quality of their brooms was hard to miss as well. Most had top of the range Nimbus' whist others flew the Supido Kyo. One blonde-haired girl even had the Mercury 1, its spotless silver base blinding adjacent trialists. Tomi stood awkwardly in his training tee, an apprehensive grip on his Nimbus 2000.

A powerful voice reverberated throughout the ship, gathering everyone's attention. It was Ragmar. "Hello everyone and welcome to the Chudley Cannons youth trial. I hope you all are well and ready for mostly— a day of fun! No matter the result and whether you have obtained a place, I hope everyone can get something positive out of this experience! Now please gather at the centre of the ship. You don't want to get caught in the middle of this!"

Ragmar waved his wand rhythmically. Suddenly the giant sails flew away in all direction like untied balloons, dissipating into the crisp sea air. He shook his wand again. Three enormous Quidditch hoops emerged on the deck at the bow and at the stern ahead of Ragmar. He waved his wand once more; sand started creeping through the cracks of the planked deck and covered the foot of the hoops in an even semi-circle. Quidditch pitch engravings also started to emerge around the trialists, perfectly positioned, as if drawn by an invisible artist. Everyone looked around in awe at the magnificent spectacle. This was undoubtedly the main stadium of the Chudley Cannons and for today, also the venue for their trial.


	8. Trials

The trialists gawked at the transformation around them. The enormous ship named the HMS Merlin had come to a complete stop, and gently rocked to the rhythm of the waves. The wooden main deck, now the site of a full-sized Quidditch pitch gleamed in the sunlight as it reflected a few water droplets that trespassed from the sea.

"Hohoh, now that's done with. We can begin explaining the trials!" Ragmar's voice projected the length of the ship and beyond. He straightened up slightly for professionalism then continued. "Seventy trialists join us today. Each of you has either been selected by our scouts or made a personal entry. Out of the seventy, only the top five will be offered a place! Despite that, I don't think one person would be here if they did not have something to offer the beautiful game of Quidditch. Now, I would love more than anything to take you all on, but I don't think I would have a job for long if I did, hohoh. Now the trials. The other Chudley Cannon staff and I will be assessing four key areas today. Speed, awareness and flair. With a larger assessment looking at your ability in a Quidditch match, here on The Merlin. Sound good?"

An incessant chatter began, as the trialists started discussing the information they had just received. "Only five people go through!?" shrieked one boy, wearing Ravenclaw Quidditch robes. The others were thinking the same thing. A small number of trialists stood unphased. The blonde-haired girl with the Mercury, gazed at her nails visibly bored. While a few burly boys, stood stiff as rocks, and just as straight-faced.

"Ok now we do things different here," continued Ragmar. "You get choose what order you would like to carry out the assessments. As long as you do all of them before three pm when the results are announced, you are safe. Now the boat to my left will assess speed, up there is awareness and to my right is flair. Stay on the HMS Merlin to get your Quidditch assessment out of the way. Good luck and let the trials begin!"

Everyone was off. Tomi turned a violent shade of purple. The nerves started to settle in. He watched as people mounted their brooms and went off to their boat of choice. He hadn't decided what he wanted to try first, and frankly, he couldn't. His feet stuck to the ground like glue as the nerves overpowered him. He felt a tug on his t-shirt and looked for the source. At first, Tomi thought his mind started playing tricks as he caught sight of a mouse. But instead, it was one of the smallest boys Tomi had ever encountered.

"Hellowhatboatareyouchoosing" said the boy, so fast Tomi nearly couldn't keep up.

"Whoa, slow down. I haven't decided yet" replied Tomi, as he looked at the odd boy. He decided to call him Mouse, as he wouldn't even give Tomi a chance to ask his name.

"Wanttogotothespeedboatwithme," said Mouse, just as quick.

"Sure…" Tomi decided to go with the flow. He wasn't achieving much standing here and also didn't fancy playing a full-fledged match straightaway either. Tomi mounted his broom with Mouse, and they set off for the speed boat in the near distance.

The boat seemed like a popular choice, as half of the trialists decided to try it out first. To Tomi's surprise, Laurent stood at the helm. He spotted Tomi and gave him a curt nod. It seemed like Laurent was directing this part of the trial.

"Now for this test, we will be looking at your speed and handling on a broom. I trust I don't have to explain why this is important in the professional scene. Seconds are vital in Quidditch, speed buys you time!" Laurent explained, in his formal tone. "Now in groups of five, line up at port side. Your task from here is to ride your broom to the nearby coast, through the limestone arch, where a magical barrier has been placed, and back. Your score will be calculated from your position in your group. Good luck."

Mouse ran to the front group and beckoned Tomi to do the same. He obliged, once again in auto-pilot and glad someone was taking initiative. Mouse stood on all toes, bouncing up and down, raring to go. Tomi tightened the grip on his broom and tried to copy Mouse's enthusiasm.

"Mount your brooms. Set. GO" Laurent waved the first group through. They all shot off in a burst of speed. Some flew high up, whilst others went low. Flying over any water felt natural to Tomi, and to his surprise, he and Mouse were leading the pack as they headed to the arch. Tomi looked at Mouse and couldn't ignore his odd stance on the broom. Mouse didn't seem to be sitting on the broom but instead had all four limbs on top of the broom supporting him. Mouse spotted Tomi looking at him and grinned, he gave a cheery salute and then shot off in an incredible display of speed, drenching Tomi in the process.

The other participants started to catch up. Tomi lowered his broom handle to gain momentum and push his Nimbus to its limits. As the arch came into view, the incredibly sharp turn almost took Tomi out, but he pulled it off and continued on the final stretch to the boat. There was no sight of Mouse or any of the other participants after his turn, Tomi had no idea on his position, but spotted the boat in the far distance and pushed for the final stretch. He pulled up on his broom hard, to make sure he stopped. Upon landing he spotted Mouse, happily sipping some juice his feet tapping away restlessly as usual.

"How long have you been here?" said Tomi slightly shocked, while wiping the mixture of sweat and seawater off his forehead.

Mouse flourished the same grin; he gave Tomi earlier. He didn't need words to know that Mouse absolutely destroyed the competition. The final three trialists in the race arrived, and Tomi realised he obtained second place. An unexpected but welcome surprise.

Tomi continued to follow Mouse, around the other assessments, they worked their way through awareness and flair, where Tomi continued to score relatively well particularly in flair when he produced a perfect Wronksi feint as a show of technique.

It was the disastrous Quidditch match that ruined his day though. Tomi played chaser, and really struggled to integrate with his team. He was pit up against Mouse who played seeker, the Mercury blonde who played chaser and five other strangers. Although the other team didn't play too well either, the blonde-haired girl single handedly scored 90 points, as she zoomed about the pitch, dispossessing every opposition chaser of the Quaffle, and giving the beaters no chance to support the play. The only reason she didn't score more is because Mouse caught the snitch, in an impressive ten minutes. The time span of the game alone spoke dividends on their skill.

The trials had ended. Tomi's stomach did a backflip. He didn't get first in any of the assessments and was almost sure he came last in the Quidditch trial. Only five people were to get through, Tomi's chances started slimming every second his mind lingered on the prospect of the results. He stood next to mouse and the other trialists on the HMS Merlin, as they awaited Ragmar to announce the results.

"I would like to thank everyone for participating and no matter the outcome you can be proud you achieved something today by enduring these trials," Ragmar said respectfully, aware he was about to disappoint a lot of people.

"For the results! In first place we have Jess Haydon." The blonde girl scoffed, she obtained the top position but looked dissatisfied, seemingly at the competition. Tomi would kill to be in her place, he decided there he didn't like her, and she joined Riley in his short list of enemies.

"In second, we have Aden Davis." A dark-skinned boy, Tomi recognised as the keeper of one of the Quidditch matches. Aden smiled charmingly as people clapped for his result.

"In third, Theodore Archer." Mouse gave a small jump, as his name was announced. He looked ecstatic. Tomi fist-bumped him for a well-deserved place.

"In fourth, Gregory Gore." A hulking giant of a boy grunted in the distant crowd.

"And finally, in fifth place, we have Joe Hooper. Well done to all of you and thank you for attending." Ragmar finished.


	9. Injustice

"DO YOU REALISE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!" A fist slammed into the wooden table. Three shadowy figures lurked in the background of the spacious conference like cabin, aboard the HMS Merlin. The night rain hammered the windows panes as a general sense of foreboding shrouded the ship. Ragmar sat at the end of the long table, seemingly the subject of this malintent.

"I did what I thought was necessary," said Ragmar, slightly perturbed but making sure not to raise his voice.

"You have jeopardised this team for the last time you bastard." Said the middle figure, pointing an antagonising finger.

"Anything I do is solely for the benefit of the team. I have been here for over 20 years—"

"And what do you have to show for It you useless rag? This is the last straw Ragmar, our stocks have been plummeting for years, hardly any fans turn up these days, our team is the laughing stock of the league and to top that off you spent what little money we had left on this piece of junk, you call a stadium!"

"I don't think those comments about the team are particularly fair, they have been working extremely hard, in a highly competitive league. They deserve respect."

"They'll get our respect, when you win more than one game!" Shouted the middle figure, his voice echoing throughout the cabin. "Your so-called new recruit also guarantees we will continue losing well into the future. What the hell were you thinking? Signing on a squib!?"

"He has potential, I could see it myself. He came sixth in the trials, that alone is a testament to what he has achieved, despite his labelling."

"You have lost your mind, old man. He has already signed the magically binding contract, so we can't get rid of him. But here's what we can do." A thin skeletal like face revealed itself from the shadows and brandished a malicious smirk. "Effective immediately, your contract with the Chudley Cannons is terminated. You are no longer manager and have twenty-four hours to move out of the Merlin."

Ragmar stared penetratingly into the eyes of the board member. He released a sigh and displayed an expression of deep disappointment; his feelings not directed at the loss of his job, but towards the vile behaviour of the board members.

"So be it." Ragmar stood up to leave, adamant he would exit with his pride and character intact.

"Also, Ragmar, we are going to make sure that squib's life in the academy is a living hell up until his 16th birthday. I hope you realise that his misery and torment is on you."

Ragmar wavered. His jolly demeanour showed signs of cracking, as he processed their last words. "But he's just a boy—"

All three board members flourished their wands, sending a great wave of force which assisted Ragmar out of the room and onto the hard wooden floor. The cabin door slammed shut as Ragmar lay on the floor; his dignity expelled and gaining a newfound sense of shame, in the fate he had confined to Tomi.

The Chudley Cannons Quidditch Academy started a month after the trials. Both Tomi and Sora got ready to go to their respective training grounds. Tomi tightened his arm pads, as he stood wearing the bright orange Chudley Cannon robes, which looked slightly too big for him.

Sora looked extremely dashing in his Wimbourne Wasps robes, the bold yellow and black accentuating his chiselled jawline and serious face. Mr and Mrs Moor finally let him join the academy after Tomi was accepted by the Chudley Cannons. They realised that despite the dangers associated with Quidditch, they could never stop their highly skilled children from playing it. They thought a supportive role would be more beneficial.

Riley's mouth lay wide open as he gaped at his younger brother leaving for his first training session. He adopted a stance of denial, when Tomi received the owl that would rectify the trials and accept him into the academy. But now, as Tomi stood in his glorious Quidditch robes, reality struck a bitter chord.

"Good luck bro!" said Ryo, as Tomi mounted his Nimbus, ready to fly to the nearby Merlin, of the Jurassic Coast. Both he and Sora were flying to their Quidditch grounds which were relatively nearby to their village in Dorset. Each of them had to maintain complete secrecy to its location as per their contract.

"I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you Ryo. I won't let you down!" Tomi said earnestly. He fist-bumped his brother and kicked off the ground into the sky.

The journey took thirty minutes longer than usual. The weather deteriorated from a harmless cloudy being, into a vicious entity out of nowhere. Tomi spotted the Merlin in the distance rocking amongst the turbulent waves, amidst a backdrop of occasional lightning and deafening thunder. Tomi's Nimbus lost a number of bristles as he stuck the landing onto the main deck of the Merlin, already transformed into its Quidditch state.

Mouse ran over to him and greeted him enthusiastically. They had kept in contact over the past month, and the fact that Tomi had unexpectedly been given a place at the Academy, almost drove Mouse overboard with excitement. The small boy had also taken a liking to his nickname and didn't mind when people called him by it.

"I'm so glad you got in Tomi!" said Mouse, jumping up and down brimming with energy and excitement for their first training session.

Tomi smiled endearingly. He spotted several others behind Mouse, staring at them with contempt. He didn't recognise them, but they looked slightly older, probably third or fourth years in Hogwarts. They must be trialists that got accepted in previous years. The group consisted off three burly boys, who seemed to have the physique of beaters and two girls, with pug like faces.

Tomi's gaze met the largest of the group, a ginger-haired boy with a face as red as a tomato. Tomi immediately looked down, but it was too late. The group walked toward him and mouse with great menace.

"What do we have here? This must be a dwarf, actually, I think it's a goblin, looks ugly enough to be one that's for sure!" Said the burly ginger boy towering over Mouse. His group sniggered in the background, on cue.

"Hey, guys, my name's Mouse! What you said isn't farfetched, I am actually part dwarf." He said naively, completely unaware off the condescending atmosphere.

"Shut up, pipsqueak. Your voice annoys me. Now listen we own this academy and I say we don't need your kind here. Get on your broom and go back to where you came from or else." The bullies withdrew their wands in unison from the pockets of their Quidditch robes. Mouse stood frozen; terrified at the situation and completely defenceless like a small child experiencing violence for the first time.

The ginger-haired boy changed his mind. He thought a bit of pain would make Mouse understand better. "Expelliarmus!" He chanted. A jet of blinding red light left his wand and hit Mouse squarely on the chest. Mouse immediately went flying across the length of the deck, before hitting the edge with a hard thump.

Tomi flipped at the injustice on display. His timid nature prevented him from doing anything. But this was too much. He caught sight of the coach on duty, far on the other side of the massive ship, hoping he would help them. But the coach turned his back and seemingly acted like nothing was happening. What was going on?

Tomi withdrew his gaze from the ground and looked up resolutely at the ginger bully and his crew. They didn't like the look on his face.

"What's wrong, want some too squib?" They directed their wands at him. How did they know he was a squib? Tomi looked at the threatening weapons pointed directly at him. The bullies did not like being challenged and were ready to cause serious damage.

Tomi's lack of a wand left him extremely vulnerable. He was surprised that they were able to use magic outside of school but realised that this academy although limited to evenings and weekends, still encompassed a place of learning.

Tomi raised his fists in an upright boxing stance. The bullies laughed in unanimity at the primitive fighting on display. The ginger boy raised his wand. "Stupefy!"

With incredible reaction and speed, Tomi side-stepped and dodged the attack, which brushed his robes and hit the edge of the deck, leaving a clean circular burn on its surface. Tomi capitalised on their shock. He delivered a powerful left hook, as much as his little arms could muster towards the leader of the group. It hit him squarely on the chest and he staggered.

Tomi couldn't do much else before the group became enraged. They all pointed their wands at Tomi and chanted "Stupefy!" repeatedly. Jets of red light emerged from the wands and hit Tomi in every single part of his body. He fell to the ground, jerking from the intense pain, each subsequent casting of the spell delivering the equivalent force of a baseball bat. The flurry of spells lasted for a whole minute before it seized, and Tomi eventually laid lifeless on the ground; his nerve endings damaged and his body twitching only from the after-effects of the spells.


	10. Four years later

_Dear Ryo _

_I'm glad the international confederation is treating you well. I really wish I could say the same for the Chudley Cannons. I'm sorry I didn't invite you to watch my training sessions earlier, but the truth is I quit four years ago. I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to be disappointed. _

_The fact is the entire Chudley Cannons seemed to have it in for me. The new manager, Kurt Wolfgang wouldn't let me train with the others, I was not allowed to use the facilities and when I could train, most of my Quidditch sessions would become a deathmatch, ending with broken bones and bloody noses. I didn't know teenagers could be so violent. Wolfgang is making it clear he doesn't want me in this team. I don't know if it's because I'm a squib, but he made the sessions I attend feel like hell._

_I may have quit the academy, but I never gave up on Quidditch. I still put on my Chudley Cannon robes every day, and every time I head elsewhere to train. On my own terms. If they thought I was going to give up easily, they're sorely mistaken. As I write this letter, I am getting ready for the 16+ Selections. All I can say is, by the time you read this I will be a Quidditch player, whether they like it or not. I won't disappoint you._

_Your brother _

_Toyotomi. _

The young teenager finished up the letter and attached it to the family owl. Toyotomi got up ready to leave, already dressed in his Chudley Cannon robes, which were now too small. He paused for a moment, adjusting the robes in his mirror. It's evident that in the past four years, Toyotomi had changed substantially. The once innocent young boy was long gone. Replaced by a new and improved chassis, all thanks to his main sponsor. Puberty.

Toyotomi now stood at the height of 5ft 10, a significant increase from his younger years. His facial features were also now more chiselled and squarer, quite similar to Sora's, although they were more dominated mainly by his Asian heritage. Toyotomi also let his jet-black hair grow substantially and now sported a slick back style. Looking remarkably like the Japanese actor Takeru Satoh (his Mum, would say.) At 16 years old, he also had scars. Mainly on his arms and face, they were a testament to the gruelling training he had put himself through. He went through hell. Evolving from a boy to a man. Tomi to Toyotomi.

A lot had changed with his family as well. Sora had moved out and became the main seeker for the Wimborne Wasps, helping his team become top three consistently. He was also shortlisted for the highly competitive Ireland Quidditch team. Naturally, Japan had already approached him, but he turned them down, hoping to get selected for the Ireland squad. It is only a matter of time now.

It hasn't all been well for the family though. Riley had been expelled from Hogwarts the previous year. It seemed he had been gathering a mass underground following in Slytherin. Setting up a minor crime organisation, mainly interested in supplying Hogwarts students with illegal substances and materials. With brute force and intimidation, he achieved this with high success. He had also become a bitter young man. His anger seemed uncontrollable these days and his jealously towards his Quidditch playing brothers reached new heights. To cope he seems to shut himself from the rest of the family. A concoction of anger, resentment and even guilt were building up inside of him. Toyotomi could only predict a devastatingly tragic ending to this scenario.

"Good luck Tomi," his parents hugged him tightly, as they realised another one of their children had grown up well beyond their parental scope. Toyotomi wanted to tell them to stop calling him by his childhood name but thought better of it. They were going through a lot.

Toyotomi didn't reply but instead released himself from their embrace, waved them goodbye and set off towards the Chudley Cannons home ground. He understood that to become a Quidditch player sacrifices had to be made. His determination and work ethic were definitely there. But Toyotomi knew he had weaknesses, his soft nature and timidity had no place on the Quidditch pitch, he had been working tirelessly to improve his technique but also his character and felt ready to show Wolfgang, he deserved a place on the team.


	11. Reunion

Toyotomi landed gracefully onto the hallowed decks of the HMS Merlin Quidditch ground for the first time in four years. It had not seemed to change much in those years, apart from general wear and tear. The ship looked well lived in, and the usual pristine wooden decks had lost a bit of their industrial sheen and, now naturally, looked dull and rustic. However, the atmosphere of an elite Quidditch team was still present. Toyotomi could observe seven players circling the hoops, practising attacking formations. Others could be seen watching from the sideline down below. In fact, the crowd seemed confusingly large for just a practice run.

Only when Toyotomi, focused on the individual players, did it all click together. The Chudley Cannons first team were up there. The very same team, that was put together for the friendly against the Holyhead Harpies last week. Player for player. These individuals were the elite, at the very top of their Quidditch game. Despite Chudley Cannon's reputation, a player who can compete in the British Quidditch league is a professional, and better than 99.9 percent of the magical world in terms of Quidditch ability. Toyotomi gawped at the sight. Vinn as keeper, The intimidating presence of the beaters Lancer and Smith. Avery, Pollitt, Haydon, Chasers. Toyotomi corrected his gaze back on to level ground. He could not afford to get distracted from the trials today. He just found it odd, that these players were training on the same day as the all-important selection trials.

"Name please?" A smartly dressed woman approached Toyotomi by surprise. She had a clipboard and a magic quill.

"Toyotomi," he replied bluntly.

The woman paused for a moment, examining the list, before producing a confused expression.

"Hm, it doesn't seem like you are on the list I'm afraid." She glanced at the sheet once more but before she could turn Toyotomi away, the quill sprung to life and scribbled at the bottom of the sheet.

_Toyotomi Moor_

"Ah, there it is. Welcome, Toyotomi. Now trials are to begin soon. It will consist of a single Quidditch match with others who have also attended the selection. I kindly request that you wait down here until your predetermined team is called up. I wish you the best of luck!"

Toyotomi stood awkwardly as the woman left. Very few details were given about the selection. However, this seemed natural. These selections were not be taken lightly by the team.

The players chosen today would become the future of the Chudley Cannon's, and apart from a few summer transfers (which the Cannon's could not usually afford) meant that only the best youngsters will be chosen by the manager. That is something that worried Toyotomi slightly, Wolfgang did not seem to want him in the team before, what will have changed today? This is why Toyotomi made a promise to himself. He had to be number one in the selections today. Then Wolfgang will have no choice other than to take him on.

The other participants stood on the side, a gathering of butterflies and nerves. This meant a lot to them as well. However, only 5 people are taken on every year. So, the 23-remaining people, will either have their contracts terminated or if they are very skilful but very unlucky,be allowed to try again.

Toyotomi could spot a few people he recognised. Jess Haydon stood beside several others, who were deeply engrossed in the first team tactics above. I mean her sister was up there after all but why watch her so closely? Mouse could be seen sitting on the floor, polishing his broom and removing stray thistles. He definitely still suited his name; in the past 4 years, he had hardly grown! Toyotomi tried to make eye contact with him, but Mouse seemed to avoid it like the plague. In fact, he seemed a bit uncomfortable at Toyotomi's approach.

"Mouse! Been a while huh" Toyotomi said cheerfully.

Mouse looked up cautiously, he examined the person in front of him, until his eyes widened and revealed the natural glow which had been hidden until that very moment.

"I don't believe it. Is that really you Tomi?" Mouse had lit up like fireworks. He dropped his broom and polish, approaching his long-lost friend.

"It is, I'm sorry I haven't been in contact, but you know how it is. I've been busy..."

"I can tell Tomi." Mouse stared at Toyotomi, astounded by his transformation. He particularly noticed his larger frame and broader shoulders, but also his eyes. The hazel-brown exhibited a shade of ferocity, which had not been present before. Other friendships have been broken for less, but Mouse relieved himself of all grudges, forgave Toyotomi for his lack of contact and treated him like family.

"I'm glad you're still here Mouse. It must have been rough in the academy. I couldn't stand it. You were tougher than me."

Mouse shook his head. "No way Tomi, you had to do your own thing. I respect that. Let's just get this done with and secure a place on the team!" The boys shook their hands as teenagers do, comforted by the fact, they were about to give it their all and more, in their journey to becoming Quidditch professionals.

Both Toyotomi and Mouse were once again assigned to the same team. They were joined by 5 strangers. Toyotomi expected Mouse, would know a few of the players, they did grow up together in the academy after all. Instead, the players made it their objective to avoid Toyotomi and Mouse as much as possible. It must have been difficult training in the academy when people could not even stand the sight of you. Toyotomi admired Mouse's resolve. He stuck it out.

"The selection is about to begin!" Wolfgang's voice projected the entire ship, as he stood at the helm, wand pointed at his throat. Wearing a dark trench coat, the former board member turned manager, looked menacing. The dark colours accentuated his skeletal like features. He also seemed to enjoy the regality and authority as a manager. His coaches stood beside him on each side, like cronies ready to serve their Godfather.

"The instructions are very simple." He paused for a moment, releasing a thin smile. "Beat the first team in a Quidditch match, and you will have earned a place on this team. Fail to do that and I will not hesitate one bit to terminate your contracts...First up, Team D"

The Chudley Cannon's first team quickly formed and organised themselves at the stern side of the ship. Ready In their well-practised formation. Team D was obviously Toyotomi's team. They were supposed to be last, but something foul was amiss. There is no way a group of teenagers could beat the Cannon's. Toyotomi and Mouse looked at each other with slightly apprehensive looks. Yet they said nothing. A determination deep within both players to prove themselves.


End file.
